Conventional construction vehicles (dozers, loaders, backhoes, skid steers, graders, etc) do not have cushioning suspension systems but are, at most, equipped with pneumatic tires. The consequence is that the machine ride can be very harsh dependant upon the operating conditions of the machine. Presented herein is an articulated dozer with an independent suspension system that reduces the harshness of the ride.
Agricultural tractors are increasingly incorporating suspension systems to reduce the shock to the vehicle and thus increasing the operational speed of the vehicle.
Traditionally, blade equipped construction vehicles such as crawlers or graders are structurally rigid. Such rigidity is desirable in that the blade does not move vertically in response to changing soil conditions. The cutting edge is typically angled back at the top so that it will shave off the material when elevated material is contacted. A consequence of this characteristic is that a vertical force is generated on the blade cutting edge when hard soil conditions are encountered. If the machine is not sufficiently rigid, the blade will lower and dig into the ground under these conditions. When soft soil is encountered and the vertical force reduced, the blade will tend to rise to a higher elevation. An analogy can be made to a plane that is used in woodworking. The tool shaves off high regions without gouging, and moves over low regions without any affect to the material. Suspension tends to reduce vehicle rigidity and may allow the blade to move up or down based on the load encountered from the contours of the ground. Thus, the addition of suspension to such a construction vehicle creates a situation that is counter to the desired performance indicated above, i.e., smooth and consistent blade movement regardless of the soil condition.